FOR    A    LITTLE    UNDERSTANDING    ...
 
 

               Little six year old Raju was fed up. "Grown-ups!" he sighed, "just do not understand. They shout, 
               they grumble, and they do not care how I feel."
               So he decided to go and sit quietly on a bench, in the park just to "think".
               In a house nearby, grandfather Mr. Gopi had similar feelings in reverse. "Children!" he sighed. 
               "They just don't understand how I feel. They grumble, they shout, and they don't care.  
               So he decided to walk towards the park and sit quietly on a bench, just to "think".
               Both happened to choose the same bench, but each was engrossed in his own sad thoughts.
               There was a sudden gust of wind and the boy's hat fell on the ground. The old gentleman picked it 
               up for him.
               That's when they looked at each other's face and a silent bond struck between them, for they felt 
               a strange closeness. The boy smiled and said Thank you" and the old gentleman smiled back.
               "You know," said the boy, "I sometimes drop my spoon."
               "I do that often," said the old man.
               "I even wet my pants," said the child.
               "I do that too," laughed the old man.
               "I cry a lot," sighed the child.
               "I cry too," smiled the old man.
               "But you know," whispered the child, "these grown ups, they never understand and just do not care 
               how I feel."
               They old grand-dad, moved closer to the child, put his arm around him and gently held the boy's tiny 
               fingers with his bony, wrinkled hand."I know exactly how you feel,"he said.

               And both felt a lot better.

                 				AMALA EMMANUEL